Illinois basketball coach Bruce Weber took a huge chance keeping guard Jamar Smith on the roster.
Like most second chances, this one has backfired.
A prosecutor in Champaign County wants to have Smith's probation revoked after he was spotted outside of a campus bar by police early Friday morning as they tried to break up an argument.
Smith is serving two years of probation after pleading guilty last year to felony driving under the influence causing great bodily harm. He drove a car into a tree on a snowy night in February 2007, injuring former teammate Brian Carlwell.
Smith should have been booted from the team then, considering he left the injured Carlwell in the car after the accident, believing he was dead.
Authorities said at the time Smith and Carlwell had been drinking tequila and beer, and that Smith, who was under the legal drinking age at the time, had a blood-alcohol level more than twice Illinois' legal limit of .08.
Carlwell is no longer with the team, having transferred to San Diego State.
Smith, meanwhile, sat out last season and was working his way back into Weber's good graces. Now, after an arrest warrant was issued, Smith will appear in court Wednesday to issue a plea.
“As his coach and someone who cares very much about him, I am disappointed that he would put himself into a compromising position, especially after the commitment he’s shown over the last year is his effort to return to our program,” Weber said in a statement released by the university. “We will wait to learn all the facts before commenting any further.”
Weber should wait for the legal process to take its course. But if Smith is guilty, then Weber should show him the door.
Weber is already facing heat from Illinois fans for the program's decline since the run to the 2005 national championship game. The Illini made the NCAA tournament in 2006 and 2007, but didn't get out of the first weekend. Last season, Illinois went 16-19, and Weber faced plenty of criticism.
The last thing he needs at this point is to take another chance on Smith. Last season's team chemistry was shaky until the end of the season, and Weber doesn't need any more problems.
Smith, apparently, is still a problem.